Wanna write a novel but the idea of slaving for years over deathless prose leaves you cold?
Baby, welcome to NaNoWriMo.
If you're a writer, you probably know what I'm talking about. If not, then consider yourself hereby informed: NaNoWriMo is shorthand for National Novel Writing Month.
National Novel Writing Month is not, as some people assume from the name, a month set aside for the appreciation of novel writers. (Although that would be nice--can we talk about that? I nominate the month of May, and further stipulate that said appreciation be in the form of cheese popcorn and/or Skittles. But that's just me.)
NaNoWriMo is about writing. Specifically, writing an entire novel (minimum 50,000 words--which is actually a pretty skimpy novel, but I digress) in the month of November.
Is it a contest? No, because there aren't any judges. Are there prizes? No, except for the glory and honor of completing a novel in 30 days. Am I participating? No, for a variety of reasons, mostly because I'm already deep in a novel and that doesn't lend itself to the kind of madcap seat-of-the-pants invention you need to write 1,666.67 words per day, every day. But hey, just because I'm a stick-in-the-mud doesn't mean you have to be. Limber up those fingers, put on the thinking cap (never mind, forget the thinking--there's no time for that!), click here for some inspiration, then let `er rip!
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In other late breaking news, one of the Words of the Day this week (courtesy of A Word A Day, a site so insanely geeky it makes my heart flutter):
acnestis
(AK-nis-tuhs)
Noun: meaning the part of the body one cannot reach to scratch.
Pull that one out of your linguistic hat the next time someone asks you to scratch their back. Instant awe and admiration! Right? Am I right?
Um...hello?
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About Me
- Christine Fletcher
- I'm a veterinarian who started writing and never stopped. I've published two young adult novels: Ten Cents a Dance, which was named a Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association, and Tallulah Falls, which was named a 2007 Book for the Teen Age by the New York Public Library. I practice veterinary medicine part-time; the rest of the time, I'm up in my office, clacking away at the keyboard.
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Life is discovery. Sometimes, I think the stuff I’ve discovered is so cool, I have to share it. Feel free to roll your eyes, it won’t bother me. I’m a geek…I know it.
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8 comments:
I've tried NaNo. November is just too busy a month for me. However, I've had much more success in meeting my writing goals in January and February. Wish they'd move NaNo to one of those months. I'd be much more apt to do it.
It does seem odd to hold NaNoWriMo in a month with a major holiday (not to mention preparing for another). January seems like the perfect choice, what with all those New Year's resolutions (and the extra day!) Oh, if only we ran the world! ;)
November's a busy month for me, too. I tend to be a fast writer, so 50,000 words in 30 days wouldn't be that difficult (I usually write a 90,000 word first draft in 6-8 weeks) but after a particularly crazy year I'm trying to break myself of the habit of taking on projects that cause me stress. I'd rather have the freedom to enjoy the writing process. Besides, it works best for me to do some light editing while I'm writing and Nano doesn't lend itself to that. I think I'd make myself and everyone around me want to pull their hair out if I was to attempt it.
I miss doing Nano this year -- done it and surpassed the 50K mark for 4 consecutive years.
But this year, i have too many paid, contracted deadlines and too much travelling to make Nano viable.
So I'm living vicariously through the participants!
I learned some really valuable lessons about process and time management that have helped me in my full-time writing career. Unfortunately, since I pay the bills with my writing, that's knocked me out of Nano this year!
Not a bad reason not to participate, though.
Lisa, I think Nano might be good for me in that it'd force me to write fast without editing, which is something I always struggle with. I wonder if I'd like the results, though!
Devon, kudos for having done Nano successfully for 4 years. Like you, I've got too much on my plate this year to attempt it. Here's to living vicariously... ;)
I am totally going to make use of that word!
I've had a couple of NaNo-like experiences with writing first drafts before I knew that NaNo existed. Right now I'm in the middle of two rewrites so the timing isn't right.
Jenny, I know, isn't that word cool?! This is why I love A Word a Day. Tailor-made for geeks! :)
Paul, hear you--I'm trying to have a NaNo-like experience with my first draft right now. (It'll probably help if I get off the internet.)
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